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Johannesburg – The 2019 Miss Universe pageant will take place on 8 December, but Miss Russia, Alina Sanko, will not be there.
According to reports, the beauty queen did not have enough time to prepare for the competition as the location and date were made available too late.
Russian news agency, TASS, reports that during a press conference, the director of the Miss Russia contest, Anastasia Belyak, made the announcement, saying that the plan was for Alina to participate in both Miss World and Miss Universe.
The date for the Miss Universe pageant was only made available in late October, less than two months before the competition. Anastasia says this did not give Alina enough time to make preparations which includes getting a US Visa as the pageant will be in Atlanta.
Contestants are also expected to arrive two weeks prior to pageant night to partake in a series of smaller events which will add to their final scores.
Alina was crowned Miss Russia in April this year.
While some countries send two different participants to the Miss World and Miss Universe pageants, Russia sends one contestant to take part in both. But because the shows take place just one week apart, Alina can't attend both.
Sharing a post on Instagram, the Miss Russia Organisation mentioned that Alina's plans for the Miss World competition, happening on 14 December in London, are on track.
A picture shows the beauty queen at the airport.
"Right now Alina is flying to London, where she will represent Russia at the international beauty pageant 'miss world 2019'," the post reads in part.
Compiled by Nikita Coetzee (Sources: TASS, Channel24, Russia Beyond)
